Method of producing felt base



N. L. CAMPBELL METHOD OF PRODUCING FELT BASE FLOOR COVERINGS Sept. 1.3,1938.

6 Sheets-Sheet l I Original Filed April 26, 1938 Sept. 13, 1938.

N. CAMPBELL Re- 20,853

METHOD- OF PROiDUCING FELT BASE FLOOR COVERINGS 6 Shets-Sheet 2 OriginalFiled April 26, 1938 EIGHT) rill/Ill!!11111111111111!!!IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII'IIIIIIIIIAIII W m I flail/TY $6 IIIIIIII/IIIIIIIIIIII/II/IWMIII/IIIII/ 1117371)Y 7/1), x

I r 1 I I I I 13, 1938. v N. L. CAMPBELL Re. 20,853

METHOD OF PRODUCING FELT BASE FLOOR COVERINGS Original Filed April 26,1928 e Sheets-Sheet s Sept. 13, 1938. v N, M E RG- 20,853

METHOD OF PRODUCING FELT BASE FLOOR COVERINGS Original Filed April 26,1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 p 13, 1938. N. CAMPBELL Re. 20,853

METHOD OF PRODUCING FELT BASE FLOOR COVERINGS Original Filed April 26,1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 HIHIWvlulwlllllllllllml Z INIIII llllllllllll mllllllll4 Sept. 13, 1938. N. L. CAMPBELL METHOD PRODUCING FELT BASEFLOOR COVERINGS.

6 Shqts-Sheet 6 Original Filed April 26, 1938 a n Sept. 13, 1938 v t I R20,853

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF PRODUCING FELT BASE FLOORCOVEBINGS Neil L. Campbell, Salem,-N. 1., assignor to ManningtonMllls,llncorporated, Salem, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey OriginalN0. 2,123,646, dated July 12, 1938, Se-

rial No. 204,445, April 26, 1938. "Application 1 1- v reissue July 26,1938, Serial No. 221,456

15 claims. (01. 41-26) This invention relates to the manufacture ofAfter the reservoir rollers have applied their hard surface floorcoverings such, for example, respective pigments to the printingsurfaces of as those known in the art as felt base floor covertheblocks, the blocks are lowered into printing ings, as distinguishingfrom linoleum, etc. contact with the-surface of the prepared felt dis-Felt base floor coverings consist of a sheet or. posed beneath theblocks. The blocks are then strip of prepared felt which is commonlycomraisedand the felt advanced one step, to bring posed primarily ofcotton or wool fibres or a comeach partly completed design into registrywith bination of cotton, wool, and in some instances the next block toreceive the portion of the design a small percentage of wood fibresmatted together depicted by that particular block.

by a regular feltin process and subsequently im- After a predeterminedlength of the strip of 10 pregnated with asphalt and other ingredientsfelt emerges from the last printing block the rendering the feltsubstantially waterproof. strip is cut and the finished sheet of saidpre- In some instances one face of the impregnated determined length,usually a strip of apprcxi-- felt sheet is coated with a. suitablepaint, usually mately 80 feet in length, iscarried into a suitll of asolid color, to form the underside of the able dryer in which thepigments are permitted l5 finished floor covering. ,In other instancesthe to set and/or harden.

v underside of the sheet is coated with rubber or a The object of thepresent invention is to prorubber compound but which, in eithercase,does duce two identical strips from or by but one not enter into thepresent invention. printing of the complete design and thereby Thesecond face of the felt base sheet which double the capacity of themachine. This ob- 20 is to formthe top, wear, or exposed surface'ln jectis attained by printing the design on but use is usually decorated'withdesigns of various one strip in the manner above noted, with thecharacters, including mottled designs, fioral o t ng t us afl 'ega yDmdlled being and/or foliage designs, blocks, tiles, etc. predeterminedthickness, and subsequently trans- 26 The'decoration of the top or Wearsurface is ferring a portion of the thickness of the coating 26 usuallyin the form of an aggregated coating of and the design depicted therebyin toto from the viscous pigments arrangedin laterally adjacent oneprinted strip to asecond strip, for example, abutting relation to eachother and collectively by superimposing the second strip upon thedepicting the design. The aggregating of the deprinted face of the firststrip and subsequently 80 sign elements is usually accomplished on whatseparating the two strips, whereby the coating 30 is known as a blockprinting machine, i. e., the which has been applied to the first stripby the impregnated base sheet or strip is intermittently series ofprinting heads or blocks-is split in a advanced in a horizontal planebeneath a series median plane between the two strips and divided ofvertically reciprocable printing heads which substantially equallybetween the two strips,

are respectively provided on their under surthereby producing twoidentical finished prod- 35 faces with wood cut blocks or flat facedpins or ucts, i. e., two products finished, at least insofarprotuberances. Each head carries but one part as the printing orformation of the design on the of the design which is to be applied tothe wear two strips is concerned, it being understood that surface ofthe impregnated felt. The number of after the printing and drying of theaggregated '40 blocks used in completing the design depends designcoating of a felt base floor covering the 40 upon the number ofdifferent colors found in the printed strip is sometimes given afinished coat completed design, as each block is arranged to deoftransparent varnish, lacquer, or the equivalent posit but one color inproper position on the to preserve the design surface against wear.prepared felt base sheet as the sheet is advanced The method andapparatus for putting the step by step and brought to rest under theprintpresent invention into effect will be fully dis- 45 ing blockssuccessively. closed hereinafter, reference being had to the During theperiod of rest-a paint'reservoir, proaccompanying drawingaof which videdwith an applying roll, is traversed beneath Fig. la and Flg. 1b,combined, constitute a dieach block, with the roller in contact. withthe agrammatic longitudinal sectional elevation of so wood cut or pinfaces to apply a predetermined the ,printing machine and dryer arrangedin amount of the viscous pigment to the printing tandem;

surface of the block, there being one reservoir for Figs. 2, 3 and 4 arediagrammatic plan views each block to apply the particular colorrequired of the arrangement shown in Figs. 1a. and lb for the'particularpart of the design carried by with the dryer in section;

so the block. Fig-5 is a' perspective yievwpafily in section, so

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are enlarged longitudinal sectional views of the twosheets illustrating the manner of transferring the design from theoriginal to the second sheet by flat, pressed contact, as in Figs. lband 7;

Fig. 11 illustrates a modification of the invention wherein the transferis made by continuous rotary contact; a

Fig. 12 is an enlarged sectional elevation showing an intermittentrotary transfer of the pattern from the originally printed sheet to thesecond sheet;

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 12 and shows a modification of theintermittent rotary transfer;

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 5, and shows the intermittent rotarytransfer of Hg. 12 and a modified form of sheet reversing mechanism inconnection therewith; Y

Fig. 15 is a sectional elevation-taken on the line iB-IS, Fig. 14;

Fig. 16 is a view similar to a portion of Fig. 1b

and illustrates a modified arrangement for handling the second sheetbetween the transfer and the placing of the sheet in the drying oven;

Fig. 17 illustrates a preliminary step in the handling of the secondsheet, as shown in Fig. 16, or a modification thereof;

Fig. 18 is a modification of the invention illustrating the use of anintermediate transfer element between the originally printed sheet andthe second sheet; and

Fig. 19 is a detail view showing one method and means for synchronizingthe movements of the original and second sheets after transfer.

As shown in Figs. la and lb, the block printing machine A employed inconnection with the present invention, for the purpose of illustration,is of the standard well known type employed normally in the printing offelt base floor coverings, and consists primarily of a longsubstantially 0 rigid main frame i which is mounted on flanged wheels orrollers 2 arranged to ride on rails I.

The rails 3 extend transversely of the machine atrelatively spacedpoints along the length of the machine. The frame I supports a rigidlongitudinally extending and horizontally disposed platform 4. At eachof the opposite sides of the platform 4 is an endless belt 5 which isprovided with pins 4' at relatively spaced points throughout its length.The pins 4 are adapted to pierce the strip of felt I, which is disposedon the platform 4, adjacent the opposite marginal edges solely of thestrip The belts I pass aroimd drums or sprockets it which areintermittently rotated to a predetermined extent for correspondinglyadvancing the sheet or strip a: step by step, beneath a series ofvertically reciprocable printing blocks, 1, I. Also verticallyreciprocable with the printing blocks I, 1 is a press block I whichpresses the side edges of the sheet or strip :r down onto the pins 6 ofthe belts 5.

The means for intermittently rotating the sprockets or drums l6, and forvertically reciprocating the blocks TI and 8 in definite time relationto the movements of the sheet 2:, forms no part of ao,ass

the present invention and as such mechanism is a standard part of theblock printing machine the same has been eliminated from the presentdrawings for the sake of simplicity.

Likewise, the paint pots 9 which are provided with rollers ill formaking contact with the printing surfaces i l of the printing blocks I,and which, for the purpose of making such contact, to apply the pigmentto the printing surfaces ll of the blocks 1, are reciprocatedlongitudinally of the machine, beneath the printing blocks I, when saidprinting blocks are in a raised position is effected in synchronizationwith the movements of the sheet, the belts 5 and the printing blocks Iby mechanism standard to the machine, and

which, therefore, has been eliminated from the present drawings.

Normally, the strip .1: is received in the form of a roll :rl which, asshown in Fig. 1a is mounted on a suitable rack 12. The strip a: isthreaded over and under rollers I3, l4 and ii to and around a drum I1and from said drum over rollers ll and i9 to and around a roller 20disposed adjacent the feed end 2| of the platform or table 4 which formsthe backing up platen for the printing operation.

From the roller 20. the strip a: is fed under the press block 8 and ispressed onto the pins 6 of the belts 5 thereby. The belts 5, as notedabove, move the strip .1: intermittently along the printing table 4, tothe delivery end 22 of said table (see .Fig. 1b) from which the strip.1: passes over a cutting table 23, which is provided with atransversely reciprocating knife 24 by which a printed strip is severedinto completed sheets of predetermined length,

preparatory to or during introduction of a leading end of such sheetinto andthrough the drying oven. I

The drying oven B is stationary, and, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4,comprises a plurality of individual compartments 25a, 25b and its.

In order to align the printing table 4 of the printing machine A and thecutting table 23 with any one of the plurality of compartments of thedrying oven B, the machine A is bodily moved transversely, by means ofthe rollers 2 and rails 3, into the desired position and the cuttingtable 23, bein provided with suitable supporting rollers 28, and ifdesired, rigidly connected to the frame I of the printingmachine as at21, Fig. 1b, is moved with the printing machine A into line with thecompartment of the drying oven B which is to be loaded with strips orsheets I after the printing thereof by the block printing machine.

In carrying out the present invention, the rack ii, on which a pluralityof the rolls 2| may be mounted, is extended vertically to provide anupper dack Ila for the reception of a plurality of rolls vi, to providethe second strip or sheet 1 to which the printed pattern is to betransferred from the originally printed strip or sheet 1:, aftercompleting of the printing of the design on the sheet :2.

The sheet 1 is led from the roll ul under the rolls i4, i4 around theroll II and thedrum Il, then 'over the roll II from which the sheet 1passes to a roll 24a which forms one of a series of rolls 21 disposedabove the highest point of elevation of the printing blocks 1 or anypart thereof for supporting the strip 1! above substan-' tially the fulllength of the printing machine A.

The strips or sheets 1 and u are gripped in a bite between theperipheral surfaces of the. roll II and the drum I] said roll and drum,of

I1, is continuously. driven to avoid shock by.

starting and stopping the rotation of the heavy rolls :ri vi and inorder to keep a constant supply of the strips 1:, 1 the speed of thedrum I1 is controlled, with respect to the intermittent movements of thestrips or sheets-1:, y, in such a manner as to provide loops 12,112between the drum I'I and the rolls 2|! and 29a.

'In that form of the invention shown in Figs. la and 1b, the strip orsheet 11 passes from a roll 29,

near the delivery end 22 of the table 4, under a pair of rolls 29 andIll which extend transversely of the machine A at opposite sides of thelast of the series of vertically reciprocable heads of the machine,-such as the heads which 'respectively portion 119 of the strip or sheet11, which extends from the. roller 29 to the roller 99, is held insuperposed vertically spaced parallel relation to the correspondingportion of the strip or sheet a: which is passing along the table 4 andin such close relation thereto as to provide a very small,-

amount of clearance or space 92 between the strip portion 113 and theupper surface of the aggregated coating or layer of viscous pigment 2which has been successively and periodically deposited and built up onthe sheet or strip :r by the individual deposits applied thereto byprinting surfaces ll of the various printing blocks I respectively.

The block 9|, which for the purpose of distinguishing from the printingblocks I, will be hereinafter referred to as the "transfer head",receives vertical reciprocation at the same time as and together withthe printing blocks 1, whereupon the under surface 33 of the block 2| iscaused to engage the upper surface of the portion 113 of the strip orsheet 1 and to press the portion 119, which lies directly below the headll, downwardly until the lower surface of the strip portion 113 makes asubstantially uniform flat contact with-the upper surface of the designcoating spreviously deposited on the upper surface of the strip 2:.

The viscousnature of the pigments and they condition of the surface ofthestrip u are such and 22 in Fig. '1, the one half of the deposit, and

which is shown at zl, adhering to the sheet or strip a: while the secondhalf 22 adheres to the strip or sheet 11. The eifect obtained is thatthe design previously printed on the strip or sheet a: is transferredidenticallyto the strip or sheet 1 In order to make the design coatingszl and s2 of sufficient thickness to provide a substantiallywearingsurface onthestripszandyrespecamass tively, the deposits of theviscous pigments applied by the printing blocks 1, 'l are preferablyheavier than would normally be applied to a single sheet, when thatsingle sheet constitutes the sole finished product as in the normalmanner of producing these products prior to the present invention.

In order to prevent any relative lateral, longitudinal or othervhorizontal movement between the strips or sheets a: and 11, during thetransfer operation, both strips ,1: and 1 are secured together againstrelative horizontal movement by the pins 9 of the conveying tapes orbelts 5 penetrating both strips or sheets a: and 1/, which, whilepreventing relative horizontal movement between the two sheets, willallow for the relative vertical movement between the sheets necessaryfor effecting the transfer. I

In order to prevent the second or top strip or sheet 1 from saggingbetween the rolls 29 and ill, the portion 119 of the upper superposedstrip 1! is held under tension.

As a result of the pins .9 passing through both the lower strip 1: andthe superposed strip 11, between the rolls 29 and 30, the movement ofthe strip a: by the belts 5 produces an identical movement of thesuperposed strip 1/, thus relative movement between the two is preventedand absolute indexing of the successive transfers below the head Si isassured; and at the same time the sheet 11 is maintained under tensionbetween the rolls 29 and 20.

Furthermore, tension on the strip 11 is maintained by the weight of thelength of that portion of the strip extending from the drum l'l throughthe loop 112 and over the rolls 29a, 21 and 28, to)

sides of the sheet 3/, as shown in Fig. 5, which draw the strip 11 fromthe transfer point on the roll ill and deliver the strip to a cuttingtable 23a which is disposed adjacent the cutting table 29 over which thelower sheet a: is delivered by the belts 5, 5.

The cutting table 230 is provided with a reciprocating knifecorresponding to the knife 29 01' the table 23.

As a result of the abovenoted arrangement, in place of one strip beingdelivered from the cutting table 23 to the drying ovenB, a pair ofidentical strips or sheets are simultaneously delivered to differentcompartments respectively of the a drying oven.

In order to deliver the'strip or sheet 1/ tothe .oven B with the designface thereof uppermost,

it is necessary to reverse or invert the strip 11'. As shown in Fig. 5the top strip or sheet 1 after passing around the roll 90, passesupwardly and around a roller 0, from which the strip or sheet 11 passesbackwardiy over the machine A, i. e., in a reverse direction to that inwhich it has been moving prior to the transferring of the patternthereto from the originally printed sheet or strip z. This brings theprinted surface upwardly, with the strip 1 moving in an oppositedirection to the strip 1:. In order to feed the strips 1: and 11 intothe dryer simultaneously it-is necessary to reverse the directiori'ofmovement of the sheet orstrip y and for this purpose the strip or sheety'ifter passing around the roll passes to and around a turnover bar orroller 4| which is supported at an angle of substantially v45 degrees tothe rearwardly moving portion of the sheet 1!.

' the rolls Ill and I and which is freely rotatably strip 1 movestransversely to the printing machine, with the design face down, andaround a second turnover element 42. This brings the designface up andagain reverses the direction of movement of the strip 11 to correspondto the direction ofmovement of the strip a: and with the two strips inparallel laterally spaced relation to each other for feeding into thedrying oven.

If desired the elements II and may be in the form of rollers driven at aperipheral equal to or slightly greater than the normal linear speed ofthe strips .2 and y in passing through the printing machine A, as shownin Fig. 5, or the rollers may be mere idlers. Any suitable form of drivemay be employed for rotating the rollers ll and 42. r

The rollers 4i and 42 are rotatably mounted in bearings carried by andadjustably secured to beams 43 in the present instance. shown in Flg. 14the elements 4i and 42 may be in the form of rigid bars adiustablysecured to the beams 43 by clamps or other securing means. In eithercase the two turnover elements ll and 42' are mounted on the beams 43 insuch a manner that they may be moved closer together or further apart,as desired.

As previously noted, the strip a: is advanced step by step by the belts5 and pins 5 thereon. The strip 1/ is correspondingly advanced by saidbelts and pins as previously noted. In some instances it may bedesirable to advance thestrips :r and :4; simultaneously andintermittently from the cutting tables 23 and 230. respectively into thedrying oven. In that case the supplementary driving device for the strip11 which comprises the belts 35 with the pins 35 thereon may be drivendirectly from the drive which advances the be1ts5 and for that purpose,as shown in Fig. 19, the shaft 45 which carries the drums or sprockets45 for the lower ends of the belts 35 may be connected to the shaft 41which supports the sprockets or drums I6 for the belts 5 at the deliveryend 22 of the table I, by a connecting shaft 45. Under suchcircumstances the sheet 1: between the rollers 30 and would move in astraight vertical line from the roller 30 to roller N, as shown inbroken lines in Fig. 5.

At other times it may be desirable to take of! the strip 11 in acontinuous uninterrupted movement, in which case the connection 48,above referred to, is eliminated and a separate continuous drive of anysuitable form such as an independent 'motor with a variable speedconnection to the shaft may be employed. In

order to compensate for the differences of conditions arising fromtheintermittent movement of the sheet 1/ up to the roller 30 and thecontinuous movement of the sheet beyond the roll ll, a slack takeupmechanism shown in Figs. 1b and 5 is provided. This mechanism comprisesa roller which engages the strip 1! intermediate mounted at the outerend of a swing frame II.

The frame if, as shown in Fig. 1b, is pivotally mounted in the presentinstance on the axis of the roller 50. A spring 52 tends at all times toswing the frame I and the roller 5! to the right,

as viewed in Fig. 1b, to provide a tensioned loop 52 in the sheet 11. Asthe sheet 1 advances intermittently from the roll 30, with the roll 40,for example, moving at a lower rate of speed than the sheet receivesduring each intermittent movement thereof, the spring 52, swinging theframe 5i and the roller 50 about the axis of the roll ll. takes up anyslack which would otherwise develop However, as"

in the strip betweenrolls 30. and 40. Then,

during the rest period between the intermittent movements of the sheetor strip 1 at the roll 30, the roll ll, revolving at a constant rate ofspeed, continuously pulls the strip 1/ and causes the loop 52 to bereduced, whereby the roller 50 is swung onto the drivingpoints or pins35 by a pair of grooved face rollers 53 rotatably mounted adjacent thedrum or sprockets 49, as clearly shown in Fig. 5. The strip 1 isstripped from the pins 35 at the lower end of the bands or belts 36 bythe strip 1 moving over the table 23a at an angle to the plane in whichthe strip is held on the bands or belts I5. 1

In a like manner the strip a: is stripped from the pins 5 of the bands 5by any suitable means such as an incline 55 on the table 4 adjacent thedelivery end 22 thereof as shown in Fig. lb. This incline may extendcompletely across the table or be arranged merely at the edges of thetable and form a bridge directly above the sprockets or drums it aboutwhich the belts 5 pass, whereby the strip :2: is lifted off the pins ofsaid belts.

At times it may be desirable to feed the lower strip 1: continuouslyinto the drying oven B, at the same time as the strip 1! is being fedcontinuously to the dryer. In this case, as shown in Fig. 11,

that a loop 59 is at all times maintained between the delivery end 22 ofthe table 4 and the roller 58, whereby the intermittent movement of thestrip a: from the table I may be readily converted to a continuousmovement over and beyond the table 23. 1

It may also be desirable to effect the transfer of the pattern from theprimary printed sheet or strip a to the second sheet or strip 1! as acon-. tinuously rotary operation, in which case'a second roll I. may beprovided directly above the I roll II with the-two rolls coupledtogether and driven by any suitable means at the same peripheral speeds,the positioning of the roller 60 withone half (sf) of the coating on thestrip a: and the second half (s2) of the coating on the strip u, thepattern previously provided by the deposited pigment forming the printedcoating 2 being duplicated in toto on the two strips :1; tively. w

As shown in Fig. 12, the transfer may bemade by intermittently rotatingthe rollers '55 and 50, in whichcasetherolierlt'merelyraisesthelower and1 respecbeyond the rolls 5. and ill. leaving substantially 11 againstthe coating 2, as clearly shown in said figure. In this case therotation of the rolls 5. and lllwould be effected in synchronizationwith the intermittent movement of the bands 5, so that the bands 5, theroll 58, and the roll 60, all rotate or move at exactly'the same linearspeed.

This may be readily accomplished by any suitable transfer of the patternfrom the sheetor strip :c

to the sheet or strip 11.

As shown in- Fig. 13 the roll 58- may be supplanted by a platen 6| whichmay be adjusted vertically through an opening 62 formed in the table Iimmediately below the transfer roller 80.

In order to eflect-proper aligning of the strip engaging surfaceof theroll ill with the strip supporting surface of the platen 6 I, saidplaten is supported by an elevator 63, which may be supported by jackscrews, wedges or other adjusting mechanism, in any suitable manner, onand relative to the framework l of the machine A.

Delicate aligning of the surfaces. may be a'ccomplished by the provisionof shims 64 inserted at desirable or necessary points between theadlusting elevator 63 and the platen plate 6|, whereby the splitting ofthe printed coating 2, intotwo' portions of substantially equalthicknesses throughout as illustrated at zl and 22, may

be accomplished. For the same purpose, 1. e., for securing accuratealigning of the web or strip supporting surfaces, shims 65 may beprovided between the block 3|" of the transfer head shown in Fig. 'l andthe vertically reciprocating frame 60 which carries and operates thecontact block I I In a like manner an adjustable portion 86 may beprovided iii the table 4 directly under the block.

sively by the various printing blocks 1, it may be desirable to cut theprinting blocks slightly undersize around the marginal edges of each ofthe variousportions of the design respectively deposited on the strip a:by the various printing blocks I, leaving, as clearly shown in Figu e 8,a space 28 between the edges of each of the adjacent portions 24 of thedesign. Then as the strip a is lowered into contact with the uppersurface of the aggregate deposit on the strip 1:, and as pressure isapplied in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 9 by the printing headblock II, the various independent deposits 24 are caused tospread untilthe marginal edges of the parts 20 make contact and thereby form cleancut lines, as illus-'- trated at 25 in Fig. 9. Then, as the strips .1:and y are separated, as shown in Fig. 10, the half portions at and'zl ofthe printed coating 2 break clean and provide clean cut lines ofdemarcation between various elements of the completed design on each ofthe strips 1: and y respectiv y.

Such procedure is more particularly d rable in the making of blockdesigns and is not particularly necessary in the printing of foliage orsimilar designs where sharp lines of demarcation are not essential.However, in other instances where block or tile designs are formed andlines 'of division between adjacent blocks, composed of a colordifferent from that of either series of blocks, are to be included inthe design, a pigment forming such lines may be deposited separately asa last step in the completion of the printed design and would cover theedges of the blocks previously deposited and thus provide the clean cutlines of demarcation, representing, for example, mortar lines betweenblocks representing tile.

In other instances the deposits forming the mortar lines may bedeposited in the spaces 2! shown in Fig. 8 to complete the entire designsurface, with all parts in actual abutting relation to each other beforethe transfer of Figs. 9 and 10 is begun.

In some instances it may be desirable to employ a transfer elementintermediate the strips and y for picking up a portion of the thicknessof printed coating in toto, corresponding to the portion 22, from thecoating 2 applied to the printed work 56, which support thecutting'table a,

would be extended to support the transfer roll Ill and the roll ill,about which the sheet or strip 1! passes, in definite relationship toeach other and properly adjusted to effect the picking, up of the onehalf of the coating 2 by the drum 10 from the strip 3 and depositing thesame in toto on the strip 1! D ssing around the roll 80.

The cutting table 23a, for the strip 1!, would:

likewise be supported in this casein superposed relation to the table 23for the strip 1:, directly above the table II, the whole structure beingmovable transversely with the frame I of the printing machine A on therails disclosed in Fig. 18. The truck II in this case would be movablerelative to the frame 88 in order to replenish the mus yl from time totime. 4'

- The advantage of sucha structure would reside in the fact that therollyi could be mounted immediately adjacent the transfer mechanism andwould make it unnecessary to draw the strip 11 the full length of theprinting machine A, in superposed relation thereto, as disclosed inFigs. la and lb.

In place of the driving belts 38, for the strip 1:, as shown in Fig.5,the strip 1 maybe advanced either intermittently or continuously bymeans of a vacuum or suction roll 15, shown in Figs. 14 and 15, saidroll comprising a perforated drum around which, throughout any suitablesegment of its periphery, the strip 11' passes. Within this segment andwithin the perforated drum II, a suction nozzle or chamber 16 isprovided and from -which air is exhausted through a hollow axle 'Ilabout which the drum 1.5 rotates. Thehollow axle is connected, by anysuitable means such as apipe ll, toany suitable form of vacuum orevacend of the hollow shaft" may be rigidly sup ported against rotationin suitable bearings and power applied from a suitable source 'to a gearwheel 3| mounted on one end of the drum 1.5 and I providing rotation ofthe drum 15 around and relative to the shaft".

The dryer B, as noted above, is divided into a plurality of compartments25a, 25b, and 25c and each compartment is provided with a plurality ofhorizontal shelves 85. For example, each compartment may contain eightyshelves with each shelf adapted to accommodate a complete strip offinished floor covering which, as noted above, in commercial practiceare each eighty feet long. However, these numbers and measurementsareimmaterial insofar as the invention is concerned. Also, the dryer mayinclude any number of compartments.

As noted above, in normal practice the printing machine is aligned firstwith one compartment and the individual strips or sheets are drawn fromthe cutting table 23 and fed onto the shelves 85 of the dryer B untilthe one compartment is completely loaded, after which the whole machineis moved laterally into alignment with the next compartment for loadingthe same while drying is being effected in the previously loadedcompartment.

' The machine is moved relative to the dryer for the loading of each ofthe successive compartments and after the drying is completed inthefirst loaded compartment the dried strips are removed therefrom,leaving-- the compartment vacant for reloading after the'last of thecompartments of the dryer has been filled with freshly printed strips.whereupon the machine is moved back into line with the emptiedcompartment for a repeat of the operations.

' Where two sheets are provided by a single printing operation, inaccordance with the pres"- ent invention the loading of the compartmentsis modified. For example, as shown in Fig. 2, the machine A and thecutting table 23 for the strip a: are aligned with the compartment 25a.With the machine'A and the cutting tables arranged in this manner thecompartments 25a and 25!) will be simultaneously loaded 'to'half thecapacity thereof. For example, forty strips :1: will be run intocompartment 25a, while forty compartment 25c, as shown in Fig. 3. Thetable 23a for the strips 11 is permitted to standlin line with thecompartment 250 while the printing machine A and the table 33 areshifted from' alignment with the compartment "a into alignment withcompartment 25b, as shown in Fig. 4'. Forty strips 1: are then run intocompartment 256 while forty additional strips 11 are run intocompartment 250, thereby completing the loading of the drying oven B.

As the drying progresses the strips may be. removed in the order inwhich they have been compartment.

inserted, in that way providing empty space for the reception ofsubsequently printed and transferred strips. Obviously, if greaterdrying time is required or if slower drying is desired the capacity ofthe dryer may be multiplied to anydesired extent, to keep pace with theprinting, and the machine and other equipment may be moved into linewith compartments thereof accordingly.

Any suitable means may be provided for drawing the strips :1: and y intothe dryer B, for example, a cable 82 connected to a power driven drum 83carried by a laterally shiftable truck 84 may be threaded through thespaces 86 between the shelves and connected, by suitable clamps 81, tothe strips 1: and y as the case may be, whereby power applied to themotor 88, which drives the drum 83,- will effect drawing of. the stripslongitudinally of the dryer and the deposit thereof on the shelves 85.

In other instances the sheet 1!, as shown in Fig. 16, may be hung infestoons over poles 90 prior to being drawn into the dryer B, therebyeliminating the necessity for the reversing mechanisms of Figs. '5 and14, in which case the strip 11 after receivingthe transfer isdrawnbackwardly with its printed side upwardly across the poles 90andhung in festoons therebetween, as shown in Fig. 16 or permitted tolie flatly over the poles or over'slats extending from pole to pole asshown in Fig. 1'7, until the full length of a strip has been completed,whereupon the cable 82 may be connected to the one end of the strip 11and the strip drawn in areverse direction over the poles 90 and directlyinto the drying In this case, as in Fig. 18, the strips 1: and 1! wouldbe superposed directly above each other, whereupon forty strips :1: andforty strips 1! would be run into the first compartment 25asimultaneously and the entire machine moved into line with compartment25b for loading thereof, and so on. Normally the strips :1: and 1! arein excess of nine feet in width to receive designs nine feet wide andstill provide margins for receiving the pins 6 of the advancing belts 5outside the design. In some instances the designs are continuousthroughout. the length of the strips and in other instances the designsare arranged to provide. rugs of nine feet in width and three,

six, nine or twelve feet etc. in length.

In some instances, both strips may be of lesser width, 1. e., instead ofbeing nine feet in width they may be only six feet in width. Theconventional machine A described above, is normally adapted toaccommodate strips of varying widths, and for this purpose one orboth ofthe drive belts 5, 5 and their drums ii, are

' shiftable laterally with respect to the table 4 as is common inmachines of this type.

As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the strip 1!. between fscopic iorm with thetwo ends keyed to the drum respectively and with sleeve sections 33splined to the two enm sections so that the drums and their respectiveshaft sections may be moved toward and away from each other as showninFig. 6.

It will be understood that the design, when for example, from the lowerto the upper strip, as in Figs, 1a, 1b to 16 inclusive, will appear inreverse, however, in the case of symmetrical designs, the two designswill appear as exact duplicates, whereas in the case of non-symmetricaldesigns, the design appearing on one strip will be in reversed positionwith respect to that appearing on the other strip. When an intermediatetransfer element is used between the two strips, as shown in Fig. 18,the design on the second strip will be an exact duplicate of thatoriginally printed on the first strip.

I claim:

1. The method of producing hard surface fioor coverings which consistsin depositing a viscous coating of facingmaterial of predeterminedthickness on one face of one prepared base one face of one prepared basesheet in the form of a viscous coating of predetermined thickness, andsubsequently transferring a portion of said thickness of said coating intoto onto one face of a second prepared base sheet, -.whereby saiddesign is duplicated in toto on both base sheets as a result of a singleprinting of on but one of said base sheets.

3. The method of producing hard surface floor coverings which consistsin printing a design on one face of one prepared base sheet in the formof a viscous coating of predeterminedthickness as an aggregation of aplurality of design parts respectively disposed in laterally adjacentrelation to each other, and subsequently transsaid design sass:

transferred directly from one strip to the other,

ferring a portion of said thickness of said coating in toto onto oneface of a second prepared base sheet, whe eby said aggregative design isduplicated in toto on both base sheets as a result of a single printingof said design on but one of said base sheets.

4. The method of producing hard surface fioor coverings which consistsin printing a 'design on one face of one prepared base sheet in the formof a viscous coating of predetermined thickness as an aggregation of aplurality of design parts respectively disposed in laterally adjacentspaced relation to each other, subsequently spreading said parts intoabutting relationshipto each other and transferring a portion of andthickness of said coating in toto onto one face of.a second preparedbase sheet by first pressing said second sheet firmly against theexposed common planar surfaces of the parts of the design originallyprinted on the first of said sheets, subsequently splitting the coatingintermediatethe 5. The method of producing hard surface iioor coveringswhich consists in printing a design on one face of one prepared basesheet in the form of a viscous coating of prede ed thickness, bringingone surface of a nd PW base sheet into intimate contact with the exposedsurface of the printed coating on the first said sheet,

splitting the coating intermediate said sheets,

and separating said sheetswith the divided portions of the thickness ofsaid coating adhering to said sheets respectively, whereby the designoriginally printed on the first sheet is transferred in toto onto thesecond sheet and two duplicate finished floor coverings are producedfrom a single printing of the design on but one of said base sheets,said design on said second sheet being in reversed position with respecttothe design on the first mentioned sheet.

6. The method of producing hard surface floor coverings which consistsin printing a design on one face of one prepared base sheet in the formof a viscous coating of predetermined thickness, bringing one surface.of a second prepared base sheet into intimate fiat contact with theexposed surface of the printed coating on the first said sheet,splitting the coating intermediate said sheets, and separating saidsheets with the divided portions of the thickness ,of said coatingadhering to-said sheets respectively, whereby the design originallyprinted on the first sheet is transferred in toto onto the second sheetand two duplicate finished floor coverings are produced from a singleprinting of the design on but one of said base sheets, said design onsaid second sheet being in reversed position with respect to the designon the first mentioned sheet.

7. The method of producing hard surface floor coverings which consistsin printing a design on one face of one prepared base sheet in the formofv a viscous coating of predetermined thickness,-

bringing one surface of a second prepared base sheet into intimaterolling contact with the exposed surface of the printed coating on thefirst sa d sheet, splitting the coating intermediate said sheets, andseparating said sheets with the divided portions of the thickness ofsaid coating adhering to said sheets respectively, whereby the designoriginally printed on the first sheet is transferred in toto onto thesecond sheet and two duplicate finished floor coverings are producedfrom a single printing of the design on but one of said base sheets,said design on said second sheet being in reversed position with respectto the design on the flrstmentioned sheet.

8. The method of producing hard surface floor coverings which consistsin printing a design on one face of one prepared base sheet in the formof a viscous coating of predetermined thickness, transferring a portionof said thickness 'of said coating intoto onto an element complementaryto said base sheet and subsequently retransferring said transferreddesign in toto onto one face of a second prepared base sheet, wherebytwo duplicate finished fioor coverings are produced from a singleprinting or the design on but one of said base sheets. r

9. The method of producing hard surface floor coverings which consistsin printing a design on one face of one prepared base sheet in the formof a viscous coating of predetermined thickness, subsequentlytransferring a portion of said thicknessof said coating in toto onto oneface of a second prepared base sheet, whereby said design is duplicatedin toto on both base sheets as a 10. The method of producing hardsurface fioor coverings which consists in printing a design on one faceof one prepared base sheet in the form of a viscous coating ofpredetermined thickness,

' subsequently transferring a portion of said thickness of said coatingin' toto onto one face of a second prepared base sheet, whereby saiddesign 11. Themethod'of producing hard surface fioor coverings whichconsists in printing a design on one face of one prepared base sheet inthe form of a viscous coating of predetermined thickness, subsequentlytransferring a portion of said thickness of said coating in toto ontoone face of a second prepared base sheet, whereby said design isduplicated in toto on both base sheets as a result of a single printingof said design on but one of said base sheets, reversing the position ofthe second of said fioor coverings relative to the first thereof aftersaid transfer to bring the transferred coating uppermost for drying ofthe same with the floor covering supported from below, and feeding thetwo finished fioor coverings simultaneously into a dryer for setting thedivided portions of the coating respectively adhering to said basesheets.

12. The method of producing hard surface floor coverings which consistsin printing a design on one face of one prepared base sheet inthe formof a viscous coating of predetermined thickness, subsequentlytransferring a portion of said thick- .ness of said coating in toto ontoone face of a sheet being in reversed position with respect to thedesign on the first mentioned sheet, reversing the position of thesecond floor covering relative to the first and feeding the two inlaterally spaced relation to each other into a drying chamber forsetting the divided coating portions respectively adhering to the twobase sheets.

13. The method of producing hard surface floor coverings which consistsin printing a design on one face of one prepared base sheet in the formof a viscous coating of predetermined thickness, subsequentlytransferring a portion of said thickness of said coating in totoonto oneface of a second prepared base sheet, whereby said design is duplicatedin toto on both base sheets as a result of a single printing of saiddesign on but one of said base sheets, said design on said second sheetbeing in reversed positionwith respect to the design on the firstmentioned sheet, reversing the position of the second floor coveringrelative to the first,'and feeding the two in laterally spaced relationto each other into different laterally spaced drying compartments to setthe divided coating portions respectively adhering to the two basesheets.

is. The method of producing hard surface fioor coverings which consistsin printing a design on one face of one prepared base sheet in the formof a .viscous coating of predetermined thickness,

subsequently transferring a portion of said thickness of said coat-ingin toto onto one face of a second prepared base sheet, whereby saiddesign is duplicated in toto on-both base sheets as a result of a singleprinting of said design on but one of said base sheets, said design onsaid second sheet being in reversed podtion with respect to the designon the first mentioned sheet, reversing the position of the secondfioorcovering relative to the first, feeding the two in laterally spacedrelation to each otherjinto difl'erent laterally spaced dryingcompartments to set the divided coating portions respectively adheringto the two base sheets, and shifting the relative lateral positions ofthe two finished fioor coverings for feeding the sheets intopredetermined drying compartments respectively of a series thereof. v

15. The method of producing hard surface floor coverings which consistsin depositing a viscous I coating of facing material of predeterminedthickness on one face of one prepared base sheet, I

subsequently transferring a portion of the thickness of said facecoating in toto onto one face of a second prepared base sheet, wherebyduplicate finished fioor coverings are produced by a single depodtion ofthe facing material on but one of said base sheets, and feeding said twoNEIL L. CAMPBELL.

